


The Arrows

by Loupmont



Series: Rex across Fandoms [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: 5.4 spoilers, Animal Death, Blood and Violence, Graphic Description, Other, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:40:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28295442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loupmont/pseuds/Loupmont
Summary: Rex learns archery from G'raha, and those lessons become relevant. Spoilers for 5.4.
Relationships: G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Original Character(s), G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Warrior of Light
Series: Rex across Fandoms [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1562416
Kudos: 3





	The Arrows

“Remember: draw back, breathe, release.”

G'raha's hands smoothed over Rex's, helping them grip the arrow and bowstring. Rex tried to pull back further, but he held their hand steady.

“No, just to here. If you hyperextend it, you may break the bow. Just pull it to here.”

Rex nodded, holding the string and arrow tight in their grasp, “You also said breathe and then let go, right?”

“Yes. Take a deep breath so you can keep yourself steady while aiming. There you go. Now, release!”

Rex let go of the arrow, watching it punch through fur and flesh. The antelope strained to bleat, though no sound came. The animal fell dead, though its twitches might have deceived some into thinking there was a small breath left.

Both Rex and G'raha knelt by their prey and started to dress it whilst chatting.

“That was really good. One arrow, one kill. Well done.”

“Couldn't have done it without you, Raha. I did ask you for help with my archery, after all.”

“Rex, the first time I started practising archery, I broke my bow and an arrow.”

“I don't believe you”, Rex grunted and tugged at the heart, ripping it free and seizing it in their now lupine jaws, “Before everything in the First, I knew you as the best archer this side of Mor Dhona. Now that you have magical prowess, you've just increased your deadly potential.”

G'raha lowered his ears, “Rex...”

“Not to mention, you've achieved way more at your age than I have when I was that young. You're 24, yes? I achieved nothing when I was 24. I was 27 when I killed that god and took over.”

“You still killed a god, Rex. You did say you saved your planet when you did that, right?”

Rex shook their head, “No. Despite everything, I couldn't save it. The Serpent devoured the world, killed my friends...I was forced to move on. Forced to find another world to inhabit, to save, so I may find peace. You and I, we can save this world, and it'd be your second success. This will be my first.”

“Rex...” G'raha leaned over, brushing Rex's shoulder, “If you're worried about me loving you, you don't need to. I do understand that it's very hard for you to realize how anyone could love you - it comes with the territory of melancholia, doesn't it?”

Rex sunk further into the snow, “Yeah.”

“Well, I can tell you that I love your brilliant mind, how fun you are, and the quality time we spend together. There's so much more, and I can talk until I'm blue in the face, but I think you get the idea. Besides, I didn't save the First alone – we both did, along with all our friends.”

“I guess”, Rex picked themselves up off of the snowy ground enough for G'raha to strap the carved animal to their back, “I think the cinch is a bit too tight.”

“Last time I loosened it, a rack of ribs fell into the swamp”, G'raha placed further cinches onto Rex, “You can make it to Gridania, then we have the mail Moogles transport it to Mor Dhona. Deal?”

“I suppose”, Rex huffed, “I need to lose weight.”

*

Rex traced the movements of the Imperial troops through the Ceruleum Fields. Even after the fall of the Praetorium and Castrum Meridianum, there was fear of an attempt at rebuilding. Pull back, breathe, release.

One down. Two, three, four. No one has noticed.

Three more left in the field. I could easily take three at a time, Rex thought. They descended from the platform, blue fog concealing them from their prey as their body twisted into their true lupine form. Sharp teeth glinted in the faint moonlight, as did those silver eyes. It didn't take long for them to close the gap to the foot soldiers patrolling the area, and even less time for them to begin their rampage.

“What's tha-grglgh!” Rex's teeth made short work of the first, seizing onto his throat and ripping the head clean off his shoulders. 

“We gotta get-” Those bloodied teeth and claws punched through the armour like an eggshell, ripping it free from the second soldier's body. Her ceruleum-polluted blood stung Rex's tongue, but that didn't stay the assault. Rex's muzzle found her lungs and ripped through them.

The third soldier, knowing he was outmatched, knelt and raised his hands in surrender. “Please, don't hurt me!”

“I don't do prisoners, nor do I let people go”, Rex growled, seizing the soldier by the arms and hoisting him up. Finding a vein, they infused dark magicks into the man's body. Only a moment passed between the infusion and the man corroding away until naught was left but a few bones.

It was time to move on.


End file.
